The mission of the National Breast Cancer Project is to
increase regular breast cancer screening, particularly mammograms, through comprehensive
community program efforts within the physician office setting. The project objective
aims to reduce the incidence of late-stage breast cancer among female Medicare beneficiaries
by increasing mammography utilization. Evidence for mammography utilization suggests
that:
Mammography is the most effective method of diagnosing breast cancer in postmenopausal
women.
Mammograms can detect cancer up to two years before a lump can be felt; and that
more than 97 percent of women whose breast cancer is found and treated early with
no spreading beyond the breast, will survive.
Despite the fact that periodic screening mammography has been shown to save lives
by detecting breast cancer early, when it is most treatable, this important screening
test has been underutilized. Our goal at Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG)
is to work with physician offices and clinics to collaborate on quality improvement
(QI) efforts to increase mammography utilization rates among female Medicare beneficiaries.
